venía

Venía is a Spanish term with two main senses, depending on its use as a verb form or as a noun. As a verb, venía is the imperfect indicative of venir, meaning that someone or something was coming or used to come in the past. It corresponds to the third-person singular or the informal second-person formal usted form in that tense. For example: El tren venía a las ocho, pero llegó tarde. Ella venía caminando cuando empezó a llover. This sense is common in narrative and descriptive contexts.

As a noun, venía (often written venía with an accent) is a historical or formal term meaning permission, authorization, or license granted by a person in authority. It stems from the Latin venia, meaning favor or pardon. In modern language, the noun sense is rare and mostly found in formal, legal, or historical writing. Phrases include pedir la venia (to request permission) and con la venia del autor o de la autoridad (with the authorization of the authority). The noun denotes a formal allowance that enables someone to act, often in governance, church, or administrative contexts.

Etymology and related terms: venía derives from Latin venia, related to notions of favor and permission. Related Spanish terms include permiso, autorización, aprobación, and consentimiento.

Usage notes: The verb form venía is common in everyday Spanish as part of the standard conjugation of venir. The noun venía is more specialized and can appear in historical documents, legal language, or literary writing. Context usually makes clear which sense is intended. See also permiso, autorización, consentimiento.